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The ASPCA is going to the Super Bowl! At least, some of our favorite animals are: From today all the way through game day, a jumbo screen outside of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will air two different ASPCA ads—one about puppy mills and pet store puppies, and the other about the welfare of chickens raised for meat.

Our research has revealed that most people would not buy a puppy if they knew she was born in a puppy mill—but it also showed that most people didn’t realize that almost all dogs offered for sale in pet shops are from puppy mills. We’ve been working to close this information gap with our No Pet Store Puppies campaign, and our 15-second Super Bowl spot is a wonderful opportunity to inform the public about the connection between puppy mills and retail pup sales.

More than 1 billion chicken wings will be eaten on Super Bowl Sunday—that many wings could form a line from CenturyLink Field, the Seattle Seahawks’ home stadium, all the way to MetLife Stadium…30 times over! Nearly all of these wings came from chickens raised in dirty, cramped quarters who were bred to grow so big, so fast they can hardly walk. But it doesn’t have to be that way: Chickens deserve better, and so do we. Check out the ad below, then share it on Facebook and Twitter. And if you haven’t already, make sure you stand up for healthier, more humanely raised chickens by signing our petition at TruthAboutChicken.org.

In April 2013, the ASPCA Field Investigation Response (FIR) team responded to a call in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Not knowing what to expect, they arrived at the scene to find an aggressive rodeo bull, a determined police chief, and an extreme challenge. After years of living in substandard conditions, the bull had developed behavioral issues, and Police Chief David Smetana concluded that the animal should be shot.

After a heated discussion with Smetana, FIR Director Kyle Held was granted access to the bull. Under surveillance of several armed police officers, Kyle evaluated the animal and concluded that he should be placed in a new home—not killed. “We arrived at the scene at 8am,” says Kyle. “At 11am, we were given three hours to find the bull a new home.”

With the clock ticking, Kyle pulled out all the stops. “I called everyone and their brother on this one,” he says. “At 1:45, we finally found a couple of farmers that run a cattle breeding operation and were not at all scared to take the bull for temporary placement.”

With the location secured, the team now had to tranquilize the bull for transportation. Kyle called on two local veterinarians, both of whom had initially supported the Police Chief’s plan to kill the bull, for help. He says, “We not only convinced them to change their opinions, but to assist in our rescue.” It took the two vets three tranquilizer darts to get the bull calm enough for handling.

Next, under more armed police protection, the FIR team transported the bull to a waiting trailer using equipment supplied by the local highway department. Once in the trailer, the bull was medically evaluated and it was discovered that a botched castration had left him with one testicle. “That’s how we came to call him Uno the bull,” Kyle remembers. Uno was then monitored until he was awake enough to stand. The 3 hour trip to the placement farm went off without a hitch.

Uno stayed at the temporary property in Wisconsin for a few weeks until the FIR team could make arrangements for a permanent residence. He was eventually transferred to the Black Beauty Ranch in Texas, where he received a proper home—and a proper castration. Uno is now stress-free and loving life.

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If horses could speak, there are at least 16 who would thank ASPCA responder Bryan Hayes for his patience and compassion.

Bryan was one of nearly a dozen responders with the ASPCA’s Field Investigations and Response (FIR) team assisting Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Services (SCRAPS) in Washington State with the sheltering and daily care of 63 horses seized during an animal cruelty investigation. Discovered on an abandoned property in November 2013, many of the horses were severely emaciated and dehydrated, with no access to water.

When Bryan arrived at the Spokane County fairgrounds, temperatures hovered between 13 and 18 degrees. The majority of the horses had been placed in outdoor paddocks; others were in nearby stalls. Eleven, in critical condition, were taken to a local veterinarian for immediate medical attention. There were 16 yearling colts who refused to be touched.

“They were flighty and would run from you,” Bryan says. “Our task was to get halters on those horses and inventory them—give them numbers and take their photos.”

That’s where Bryan’s expertise came in.

He and other ASPCA staff and responders worked with one horse at a time. After each horse was in its own paddock, Bryan used a broom as an extension of his arm to slowly pet each horse.

“They would stand for that,” he says. “Then I would replace the broom with my hand. All the horses seemed to calm down.”

In addition to haltering many of the Spokane herd, Bryan trimmed hooves, some that were splitting, including those of an emaciated mare who had to be sedated. Because so many horses were close to starvation, Bryan speculates more would have died were it not for the intervention of SCRAPS and the ASPCA.

The majority (47) horses were placed with adopters, foster families or rescue groups, and boarding facilities, and the ASPCA continues to provide support for boarding costs and re-homing the last remaining horses.

Local authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of property owner Janice Hickerson on charges of animal cruelty. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

Bryan, a farrier by trade, also handled logistics at the temporary shelter in Florida where more than 200 dogs seized in a multi-state dog fighting raid in August 2013 are being housed and cared for by ASPCA responders. Over the past three years, Bryan has also assisted the ASPCA as a consultant in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, among other natural disasters and animal cruelty cases.

Bryan has experience working with various types of animals, but horses have always been part of his life. Bryan cared for his first pony for more than 20 years, and is now the guardian of two dogs and a 9-year-old American saddlebred named Captain.

The ASPCA is grateful for all of Bryan’s assistance in many of our crucial rescue efforts. To learn more about the ASPCA’s work to end equine cruelty, visit our Fight Cruelty section.

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Every now and then, we come across a special dog in our New York City Adoption Center who just can’t seem to find a home. One such dog is Baby, a total sweetheart who has been in our care for more than a year and a half. During that time, our Adoptions team has formed a special bond with Baby, frequently describing her as a “cuddle bug with a heart of gold.” Baby has captured the hearts of many staff members here at the ASPCA, and while we love spending time with her, we can’t wait for her to join a loving family.

This oversized lap dog already knows Sit, and would love to have you teach her other tricks. She is super sweet, and while she likes to say “hello” to other dogs, she isn’t a huge fan of playing with them. Baby takes her job as a companion very seriously, and doesn’t like to be left alone for long periods of time. If you work from home or spend time in a dog-friendly location during the day, Baby would love to be by your side as your partner in crime. She’d get along fine with kids 10-and-up, preferably in a home without other pets—Baby loves to be the center of attention!

If you’re interested adopting Baby, the cuddliest pup in town, please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4120. To learn more about Baby, please visit her page.

Not able to adopt Baby, but know someone who can? Spread the word by posting the flyer below on your social media profiles! With your help, we’ll find Baby a home at last.

At the ASPCA, we have nothing but love for the members of our Foster Care Program. These generous, kind-hearted people open their homes to young, sick, or small animals that are not yet ready for permanent placement, and give them love and comfort until they’re ready to move on. So when we heard about Leia, a tiny kitten who won the heart of her foster mom, we had a feeling she was something special. We tracked down Emily H. to find out just how Leia went from temporary resident to full-time family member. Here is their very Happy Tail.

“When I first met Leia, she was so tiny,” recalls Emily. “She was smaller than her littermates, Han Solo and Padme, and she wouldn’t eat.” An expert foster mom, Emily syringe-fed Leia baby food for a week to help her gain some weight and find her appetite. The Force must have been strong back then, as the intimate feeding experience bonded the two in a way that Emily could not deny. “When the other foster kitties went back to the shelter to find their forever homes, I already knew that Leia’s forever home was with us.”

In the year since her adoption, Leia has grown into a perfect pet. Thanks to Emily’s persistence, the teeny kitten mastered the art of eating—in fact, Emily is thinking it might be time to cut back! She is so curious and playful that it’s almost easy to forget how timid and small she once was.

A true testament to the power of fostering, Emily left us with an encouraging message. “Shelters are full of beautiful cats with incredible personalities, and I cannot recommend the foster program enough. Your new best friend might be waiting for you right now at the ASPCA!”